This invention relates to a termination tool, and more particularly to such a tool for use with terminal blocks carrying different terminal configurations requiring different impact forces for conductor termination.
There are at least two predominant terminal types utilized in terminal arrays in telephone equipment terminal installations presently in use. One of the terminals is called an "88" type terminal, and the other is called a "66" type terminal (Western Electric Company designations). The "88" terminal accepts a smaller conductor wire than the "66" type terminal and therefore requires a lower impact force to be delivered for seating the conducting wire in the terminal. As a consequence, a worker terminating conductors in an installation containing both types of terminal blocks had to carry two separate termination tools in the past, one having a factory adjusted low impact force, and the other having a factory adjusted high impact force for use with the "88" and "66" type terminals respectively. A typical termination tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,852 having an impact assembly in a handle and a slide assembly subject to an impact extending from one end of the handle. The worker must also carry the appropriate termination tool blade for each terminal type. A termination tool blade for use with the type "66" terminal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,316, and a blade for use with the type "88" terminal is disclosed in copending patent application Ser. No. 807,441 filed June 17, 1977. Alternatively, the worker may use the high force impact tool for the "66" type terminal on both configurations of terminals, and merely switch blades when terminating at one type terminal block or the other. However, when the worker must make thousands of such terminations at an installation, use of the high impact force type termination tool for both the "88" and "66" type terminations requires unnessary exertion and can become extremely tiring to the worker.
There is therefore a need for a single termination tool in which termination blades for both types of terminals may be used, which stores the unused blade for immediate access when needed, and which provides a selectable high or low impact force depending upon the type of terminal to which terminations are being made.